A Jon Brisby proponent recently commented on my "Dropping the Baton" article, at Banned by HWA! spinning a bold counter-narrative to the Worldwide Church of God’s succession story. They argue that Herbert W. Armstrong’s divine baton didn’t pass to Joseph W. Tkach in 1986, as outlined in the May 1986 Good News Magazine piece "Passing the Baton," but to Raymond Cole in 1975, then to Brisby in 2001. Their timeline splits Armstrongism into eras: 1934-1974 as the WCG’s “truth” phase under Herbert, a “prophesied departure” in 1974, and Cole’s Church of God, The Eternal (COGTE) as the true heir, upholding doctrines like Monday Pentecost and strict Divorce and Remarriage (D&R) rules. Tkach’s Worldwide and later splinters—United, Philadelphia, Living—are dismissed as apostate, while COGTE claims a baton lineage from Moses to Joshua, Elijah to Elisha, Christ to Peter, even tossing in 1 Samuel 15:26 to suggest HWA lost favor.
This isn’t just a quibble—it’s a brazen rewrite of Armstrongist history. But it’s a mirage, a flimsy fiction propped up by cherry-picked scripture and a rejection of Herbert Armstrong’s own actions. Here’s the truth: there’s never been a biblical baton passing based on doctrine—succession follows divine appointment and death, not dogmatic disputes. COGTE didn’t inherit the baton; they dropped it in 1975 when Cole split, forging a cultish splinter that hijacks Armstrong’s name without his mandate. This exposé dismantles their claim, proving COGTE’s “baton grab” is a delusion—another fracture in Armstrongism’s crumbling edifice.
Let’s ground this in reality. The Worldwide Church of God’s "Passing the Baton" article, published after Herbert Armstrong’s death on January 16, 1986, is crystal clear: HWA, the “first human leader of God’s Church during this Philadelphia era”, handpicked Joseph W. Tkach as his successor. Tkach details Armstrong’s deliberate choice—backed by 1985 letters, sermons, and the Advisory Council of Elders—calling it “the passing of the baton,” a relay to “continue the race” of preaching God’s Kingdom (Matthew 24:14). Tkach, a WCG stalwart since the 1950s, climbed from deacon to evangelist, serving as Ministerial Services director before Herbert named him successor in 1981-86. This was no fluke—it was Armstrong’s final, authoritative act.
COGTE’s proponent flips this upside down, claiming the baton jumped to Raymond Cole in 1975—over a decade before HWA’s death—due to a supposed 1974 “departure” from truth. They point to a 1973 Bible study by Herbert (on COGTE’s site) and doctrines like Monday Pentecost as proof. But here’s the fatal flaw: Armstrong never passed the baton to Cole. Cole, an early Worldwide minister, split in 1975 over Pentecost’s shift from Monday to Sunday, founding COGTE as a protest, not a succession. Herbert led the Worldwide until 1986, anointing Tkach, not Cole. There’s never been a biblical precedent for a baton passing over doctrine—succession comes from the leader’s choice at life’s end, as with Moses or Elijah. COGTE’s tale is a splinter’s daydream, not HWA’s relay.
The commenter hinges their case on 1974, alleging a “prophesied departure” when HWA’s Worldwide abandoned “truth” (e.g., Monday Pentecost). They nod to a 1973 Bible study by Armstrong as evidence of this fall. But what’s the real story? In 1974, after internal debate, Herbert shifted Pentecost to Sunday, aligning with Leviticus 23:15-16’s “day after the Sabbath” (a move backed by scholars like J.H. Hertz). Cole, a doctrinal hardliner, balked—along with softening D&R rules—and bolted, forming COGTE in rebellion to Worldwide’s leadership. The WCG didn’t collapse; it grew under Armstrong, growing to 100,000+ members, with The Plain Truth hitting millions. No, this 1973 bible study doesn’t predict a “departure”—it’s COGTE’s retroactive spin.
Contrast this with "Passing the Baton." Tkach’s 1986 succession followed decades of loyalty, sealed by Armstrong’s explicit blessing in 1985-86, not a speculative 1975 leap. Cole’s exit was a schism, not a handoff—Armstrong didn’t retire or die in 1974; he ruled for another 12 years, naming Tkach. Biblical baton passings—Joshua after Moses’ death (Deuteronomy 34:9), Elisha after Elijah’s ascent (2 Kings 2:13)—happen at the leader’s end, not mid-tenure over doctrine. COGTE’s 1974 myth is a convenient lie, a splinter’s excuse to dodge Herbert’s final word.
COGTE’s claim—that the baton shifts due to doctrinal fidelity—crumbles under scripture. The commenter cites Moses to Joshua, Elijah to Elisha, and Christ to Peter, but these prove the opposite: succession is about divine appointment and timing, not dogma. Let’s break it down:
Moses to Joshua: God told Moses to commission Joshua (Numbers 27:18-23) at his death, not over a policy spat. Joshua led post-Moses, not midstream (Deuteronomy 31:14). Doctrine—e.g., the Law—stayed intact; the baton wasn’t about tweaks.
Elijah to Elisha: Elijah anointed Elisha (1 Kings 19:19-21), passing his mantle at death (2 Kings 2:13-14). No doctrinal rift prompted it—Elijah’s mission continued seamlessly. Herbert didn’t anoint Cole; he outlasted him by years.
Christ to Peter: Jesus chose Peter (Matthew 16:18) post-resurrection, not mid-ministry over a teaching dispute. Peter’s role held despite his flaws (e.g., denying Christ), not dogma shifts.
Their 1 Samuel 15:26—“the Lord has rejected you”—is a misfire. Samuel rejected Saul for disobedience (sacrificing wrongly), but HWA wasn’t “rejected” in 1974; he built Ambassador Auditorium, preached globally, and led until 1986. Scripture never shows a baton passing because of doctrine—Korah’s rebellion over priestly rules (Numbers 16) ended in divine wrath, not succession. Cole’s 1975 split is Korah redux: a rival altar, not a relay. There’s never been a biblical handoff over dogma—COGTE’s premise is heresy, not history.
The commenter insists the baton rests on “truth”—Monday Pentecost, strict D&R—casting Tkach and splinters as traitors. But Armstrong’s own record guts this. Herbert evolved doctrines—Pentecost in 1974, healing rules in the 1960s (softening “no doctors”), even British Israelism’s prominence by the 1980s—claiming revelation each time. If HWA could adapt, why not Tkach? COGTE clings to a 1930s-1970s snapshot, ignoring Herbert’s later shifts. The WCG’s 1986 baton to Tkach honored Armstrong’s final vision—change, not stasis. COGTE’s “purity” is a self-imposed yoke, not Herbert’s legacy.
Monday Pentecost? HWA’s 1974 change wasn’t apostasy—Hebrew scholars (e.g., Hertz’s Pentateuch) support Sunday. D&R? Herbert loosened it by the 1970s (e.g., Garner Ted’s remarriages), clashing with COGTE’s rigidity. If the baton demands doctrinal freeze, Armstrong dropped it himself—COGTE’s obsession is their burden, not his baton. There’s never been a scriptural shift of authority over teachings; succession trumps dogma every time.
The commenter labels 1986-1995 as Worldwide’s “demise” under Tkach, who embraced the Trinity, Sunday worship, and evangelical norms by 1995. Membership tanked—75% fled to splinters or quit—but was it failure? Tkach’s WCG, now Grace Communion International (GCI), boasts 50,000+ members, dwarfing COGTE’s hundreds. "Passing the Baton" vowed acceleration; Tkach delivered, pivoting to a broader faith Herbert didn’t foresee but couldn’t stop. COGTE’s pre-1986 split—1975—freezes them in amber, not progress. Splinters like United (10,000+) or PCG (5,000+) at least waited for HWA’s death—COGTE bailed mid-race, baton nowhere in sight.
Tkach’s baton wasn’t apostasy—it was adaptation, a relay leg Armstrong’s death enabled. COGTE’s doctrinal fetish stalls them—where’s their Matthew 24:14 witness? There’s never been a biblical baton yanked for doctrine; it passes at the leader’s end, as with Joshua or Peter. Tkach ran; COGTE stumbled.
If COGTE holds the baton, where’s the proof? Armstrong’s Worldwide hit 100,000+, blanketing the globe via radio and print. COGTE, since 1975, limps along with a few hundred under Brisby—sermons for a clique, not nations. "Passing the Baton" ties the race to Matthew 24:14—worldwide preaching. Armstrong tried; Tkach’s GCI persists. COGTE’s insular purity shrinks their “baton” to a splinter’s shard, a far cry from Herbert’s vision. Other splinters—UCG, PCG—outpace them in reach and numbers. COGTE’s “true Church” is a puddle, not a proclamation—biblical batons build nations (Israel, the Church), not niches.
COGTE’s baton grab is cult psychology 101—denying reality, rewriting history to fit a delusion. HWA’s 1986 succession to Tkach is fact: documented in letters, sermons, and the WCG’s Council. Cole’s 1975 split lacks Armstrong’s nod—it’s a self-coronation, like a prophet claiming visions no one else sees. The commenter’s splinter snub—“not associated with COGTE”—apes HWA’s “one true Church” mantra, but without his scale or sanction. The 1974 “departure” is denial, a refusal to face Herbert’s choice of Tkach over Cole’s dissent.
Armstrongism’s flaw shines here: authority hinges on one man, not scripture or consensus. HWA’s baton to Tkach was his last call—COGTE’s grab spits on it, stealing his name while defying his will. There’s never been a biblical baton passed midstream over doctrine; it’s a cultish rewrite, not a relay.
To Brisby, his defender, and COGTE: if Armstrong was God’s servant, his 1986 baton to Tkach demands obedience. Scripture ties succession to death (Deuteronomy 31:14), not doctrinal squabbles—Cole’s 1975 exit was rebellion, not relay. Armstrong led post-1974, anointing Tkach, not Cole. Honor Herbert’s final act, as Joshua did Moses, or admit you’ve forged a new path, not carried his. Clinging to a 1974 phantom—neither following Herbert’s end nor ditching his shadow—is cowardice. There’s never been a baton passed for doctrine—rejoin the race under GCI leadership or forsake Armstrong’s husk. Your claim’s a lie—face it or flee it.
This rebuttal of the commenter’s assertion—that Herbert’s baton leapt to Cole in 1975, then Brisby in 2001—exposes a revisionist mirage, but it’s not just their tale that crumbles. Armstrong’s 1986 handoff to Tkach, etched in his own words and the Worldwide Church of God’s record, stands as the final relay, crushing Cole’s 1975 defection and every splinter’s claim to legitimacy. Scripture demands succession, not schism—there’s never been a baton passed over doctrine, only at a leader’s end. History proves Herbert’s reign outlasted dissenters; COGTE’s purity, like that of United, Philadelphia, Living, and others, shrinks them to irrelevance. They didn’t catch the baton—they dropped it, each forging cultish echoes in Armstrongism’s wilderness. For AiCOG readers, this isn’t an attack on COGTE— it was merely highlighted here due to a commenter’s challenge—but a warning to all splinters: your revisions don’t preserve Herbert’s race; they shatter it, proving the baton’s fall lies in your collective denial.
Response To A Delusional Commenter © 2025 by AiCOG is licensed under CC BY-ND 4.0
